It was great to see many IEU members/past exchange teachers, at the Anniversary Dinner on Saturday 18 March; it was a great reunion for many; some of whom reminisced about their first, second and even third exchanges.
The dinner was celebrating 90 years of the NSW Exchange Teachers League; 100 years of DET exchanges; and 35 years of IEU exchanges. The ETL was finally able to celebrate over 90 years of volunteer service by past and present members of the ETL.
The event was five years in the planning with the postponement in 2020 due to Covid creating many difficulties for the organising committee.
A visual display throughout the night showed many images of exchange teachers from the 1920s to 2023 enjoying ETL activities or some of their many experiences while they were on exchange overseas. A display of historical items on the night also proved to be interesting to many of the guests; including Newsmonth articles from 1985 when the IEU Teacher Exchange Program commenced.
And the 40-year presentation to Jennifer Turnbull too.
The IEU receives many enquiries in regard to the resumption of the teacher exchange program and thanks members for their interest. The program is still currently on hold post-Covid, but it is hopeful that the program could resume in a safe-Covid world in the next year or so.